Flash Gordon Orcus - part four

More of an up-date to the last Orcus post rather than a brand new post. A single photo showing the acrylic paint, GW wash and materials used to paint the miniature so far.

Tony

Flash Gordon Orcus - part three

With the miniature undercoated, I started searching the Web for colour schemes. I had already decided to paint the figure green with a brown stomach (much like the Sebeki Crocodiles from Crocodile Games), but Google searches brought up these variations.....

Of the three, I prefer the bottom scheme, from the D&D Collectible Miniatures series. A dark blue/green body with purple/pink stomach and head.

I used GW Midnight Blue and an old pot of Warzone Centurion Green, mixed on a small palette to paint the main skin colour, drybrushing the scales which are sculpted on the creatures back with a mix that contained more green. Once dry I mixed up a watered down wash using KLEAR, Dayla-Rowney Flow Enhances, Distilled Water and the Asurmen Blue Wash from Citadel. The wash was applied in three or four light coats to build up the depth of colour and 'bring-out' the detail.

This photo shows how the dark blue/green has just tinted the miniatures skin and the washes have already highlighted the sculpted skin detail.

As I stated in the first post - this is a new departure for me in the way that I display my painted models, giving much more detail as to how I approach painting my miniatures. I would hope that the descriptions give more rather too little detail, but if any reader has any questions please use the COMMENTS function.

Tony

PS.

Now that I've seen the D&D miniature and my painted Orcus on the Blog, I think I might have to repaint it a much more blue green colour!

Flash Gordon Orcus - part two

Continuing with the on-line build and painting of this Grenadier Orcus, I have undercoated the miniature with Games Workshop Chaos Black spray paint, touching up the bits missed with Vallejo Black acrylic paint.

In addition to the painting, I cleaned up the base prior to spray painting, scraping off some sand that had stuck to the miniatures feet and tail. I also added a small amount of 'green stuff' to the rear of the head to extend the mane of each of the heads. I am not sure this was really necessary, it extended the hair on the back of the neck about 3 or 4mm. The texture was scored-in with the end of a scalpel which had been dipped in water.

As I study the figure I see just how much very fine detail there is - for example check out the tongue on the right hand head, which is much finner than anything I could have modelled. I had thought about extending the crests on the top of the heads, but I believe that this miniature is so good, there is nothing you could do to better it, (other than a good paint job).

Not much more to add at this time - the black undercoat helps to bring out the sculpted detail and I am now looking to start painting. The plan is for a green figure, but as I research the monster this may change!

Tony

40mm AWI advert Wargames Illustrated - page 93

Wargames Illustrated, issue 265 - November 2009 is now on sale and on page 93 is yet another advert for Grand Manner featuring the 40mm AWI building - Guilford Courthouse.

The whole issue is themed around The American War of Independence with the majority of the articles featuring the AWI in some form or another. In general I would not normally recommend such a policy, however in this particular instance I feel it works well, very well.

The Guilford Courthouse featured in the advert was painted by me some weeks ago and will be the featured building in a forthcoming TMP Workbench article. Expect the article soon.

I also feel that congratulations are in order - Dave at Grand Manner is celebrating his 10 years anniversary as a professional model maker, well done and best wishes for the future. Thank you for the support you have given me over the last six months.

For more details, please check out;

http://www.grandmanner.co.uk/home/index.asp?id=1

Tony

Flash Gordon Orcus

This is a 'straight off the press' photo of my latest E-bay purchase, a Grenadier Miniatures Orcus - M36. I know this particular miniature is rare, quite rare and I've been on the lookout for one for some time, after seeing one on a Grenadier miniatures site. It was purchased on an E-bay auction for just £2.99 (plus P&P). There are similar monsters sold in the plastic, D&D Miniatures range - check out Demogorgon or Aspect of Demogorgon.

I know that there are many Flash Gordon monsters with six limbs and although I am not sure this matches any of the Alex Raymond illustrations, I am still convinced that it fits well with the character or theme of Mongo monsters and creatures.

The miniature came painted - a dark green over a black undercoat. I have not stripped the figure but have mounted it on to a 40mm round base and built up the groundwork with pieces of broken cork, Milliput and sand.

The Orcus sculpt is very two-dimensional (moulded in one plane, I have already bent the lower, right tentacle forward to add some depth) but full of menace and will be a perfect addition to the Flash Gordon collection. The model stands just over 60mm tall (top of crest to foot).

I have a number of in-progress Flash Gordon Monsters, I usually don't post them on this Blog until they are finished, but with this fantastic sculpt, I thought I would make an exception and start a WIP thread. Expect regular updates.

Tony

LAF's Build Something Competition - update

The rules of the Build Something Competition state that finished photos or images should not be included until the end of the competition. These photos show the model 95% finished but still awaiting a matt varnish coat and base mounted nameplate.

Photo One - The model nearly finished, mounted but still needing varnishing.

Photo Two - Painting started, a base coat of Stonewall Grey from Vallejo and Snakebite/Scorched Brown from GW.

Photo Three - As photo one, but from a different angle. At this stage the model has been given a Kleer wash with a touch of GW Black Wash added to pick out the surface detail. The tail mounted shield design was from a 1/48th scale WW2 German set.

The model was produced on the 'spur of the moment' - prompted by the LAF's competition. If I was to plan this particular model or rebuild it, I would not have used the existing resin casting, but have scratchbuilt a more 'barrel-shaped' hull, less streamlined and slightly shorter. I might also have modelled the rear sun shade as an inverted 'V' or tent-like shape.

I also feel that this design would be ideal to replicated in 15mm scale, maybe using a toy boat hull as the basis.

I'll add more photos and details when the Build Something Competition ends.

Tony

Molemen for Flash Gordon - update

I have ordered a set of Wyrd Miniatures Molemen......

......and three Reaper Miniatures Garravank (3388).

My plan is to use the arms and hands from the Molemen and the body from Garravank the Ghoul King. All were ordered from America as I was not able to find them in the UK. Total cost less than £30.00, and all paid for from my PayPal account. Lets hope that there are no problems but at these costs I will be very careful. Look out for regular updates.

Thanks for the personal mails.

Tony